Zelenskyy says seven settlements remain under Ukrainian control

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 18 that Ukraine controlled Dobropillia, Kostiantynivka, Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka, Orikhiv, Novopavlivka, Novoandriivka and Velykomykhailivka. LIGA.net, Novynarnia and RBC-Ukraine reported his remarks following a briefing by armed forces commander-in-chief Mykhailo Drapatyi.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops were repelling Russian assaults and infiltration attempts in Dobropillia and holding positions in the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. He also cited results from operations by the Air Assault Forces and Third Army Corps as part of Ukraine's active defence.

He said Ukrainian forces had retaken more territory since the start of autumn than Russia had captured. The remarks quoted by the three outlets gave neither areas nor a method for that comparison; the reports did not independently verify his territorial assessments.

Responding to Russian claims of advances towards Zaporizhzhia, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops were killing Russian forces 20 kilometres from the city. His statement described fighting at that distance, rather than establishing the distance of the entire front line from Zaporizhzhia.